Transportable anchorable refrigerator



Dec. 28, 1937. H. w. BLAKE 2,103,231

TRANSPORTABLE ANCHORABLE REFRIGERATOR Filed May s, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 (1 v a Z? 3 INVENTOR,

9%,; iii/ah.

ATTORNEYS.

H. W. BLAKE TRANSPORTABLE ANCHORABLE REFRIGERATOR Dec. 28, 193 7.

Filed May 8, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR, J/e/Wy $13 569.

/ Z ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 28, 1937 UNITED STATE PATENT L I 2,103,231 I TRANSPORTABLE ANCHORABL'E REFRIGERATOR I Henry" w. Blake, Kan'sas are; M6,, assignitar William'F;'Kirk, Kansas cit'yz'M z Application May- 8; 1936; Serial 1N0. 18,126; I

7 Claims. (of: mi e) This invention" relates to transportable 'anchorable refrigerators or ice boxes adapted par-'- ticularly for use in C0nne'ctib1'i Withthetransportation of perishables'in amounts less than car -'lot quantities, and the primary object of'th'e invention is to" provide anchoring means for refrigerators of the aforementioned character tive in engaging the supporting surface or floor of the car within which the refrigerator isbeing transported and which may be moved to and from the operative-position by manually manipulating certain parts of the' anchoring mechanism'.'

A yet' iurther aim of thisinvention is to provide a'nchoring:mechanism for transportable 'refrigerators; having means for moving the anchoring elements thereof to an'd from an'operative-position-,- all ofwhich is confined within the limitsof therefrigerator: case "to the end that no protruding parts are presented to occupy space or engage freight that maybe packed ina car with the refrigerator. I A-still further andimportantobject of the instant inventionis to provide novel anchoring means for transportable anchorable refrigerators which comprises anumber of anchoring elements; all mounted upon a common member, movable therewith and yet independently movable toa limited degree, whereby to compensate for irregularities found in-the supporting surface;

Another object ofthis invention is the provision in anchoring mechanism for reirigerators of the type mentioned, of structure for absorbinglshock -that mightbe imparted to the anchors, which structureis inthe form of an abutment always in proximity-to the anchoring elements regardless'oftheir position about their axis of rotation. I I I still anotherobject of the invention is to provide a refrigeratorwith anchoring means having a speciallyformed surface-engaging foot that will transmit the'force tendingto move therefrigerator in one direction to the case of the refrigerator wherebyto require such forctobe theftiller type'in order to jacilitate-turning specification, referring to drawingspwherein: a

Figure I is an end-elevation of atransportable anchorable" refrigerator embodying? this" invention'; r V x 5 Fig. 2 is'a-sideelevation thereof; a A Fig. 3-is" a'afrag'm'entar'y;inverted plan view. of the'ref'rigerator: r

Fig. 4* is a'nFenlarged; fragmentary;detailed; sectional view; showing one'of the anchoringele-l mentsian'dspring. v 1

Fig. 5- is another enlarged detailed; frag mentary, sectional-viewxthrough a'portion .of'the refrigerator case, showing the" disposition-of the' operating-lever, and, V a 15 Fig. 6 is afragmentary; detailed,- sectional; view,- illustrating an anchoring element"; ofr'ai' character other thanthat shown inFigs; 1to--5-inv elusive; V v The refrigerator vor; ice box; is of armore; or; less conventionaltype in that it comprises acase 8; provided with {doors ;I llat one 1 end:t hereof-,:by means of which theperishable 1 goods may be moved to andfrom position within-case 8;". Wheels 7 or rollers vl2- and-14 are-prQvided on the bottom ofcase 8=- sothat the-refrigeratoris rendered; mobile to permitmovement "oi the same to; and; from p siti :w b n-aboX a o truck ill-r n the h l n -rap. ran tio Wh e '2 are of the usual type-whilerollers-jfi should be of;

the accompanying of the refrigerator during placement] I I II The refrigerator; is usuallymoved into a bog; car or truck and'plac'edin one corner s o tha'gtthe n wall mhe reiah p r-print rs o new will pr mov m nt; Qf l the srsi i l jr ator in one d i n: .Ifhe anc o in m chanism. built intothe refrigerator, therefore; need be at one end only thereof-,- but this inyentignpbviqusly contemplates the employment of such r nech a'- nismat both ends of ease of the refrigerator, ,Ash i l i o at bly avrna s inhea n "h w i h in t re igid l ewr di he-idiot: tom of case B. Anumberof anchoring elements 20 are'ca'r'ried'by shaft 16in a'speci'al manner so as'to permiteachof the several e ni irregularities softhat i I were mountdrigidly upt shaft Bf' on'e ,or

andtheriorernde 'din'efiective.' I

' turebF'thei and bearing 26. Bearing 26 is provided with a slot 28 and a pin 38 integral with shaft l6 and projecting laterally therefrom through slot 28 permits a limited amount of movement of anchoring element 28 about shaft I6 independently thereof. Thus a more or less floating condition is presented that will permit compensation for supporting surface irregularities.

A spring 32, having one end joined as at 34 to the depending wall of case 8 and the other end secured to part 24 of anchoring element 28, yieldably urges the sharpened end of anchoring element 28 toward supporting surface 22.

Reference to Fig. 4 will readily teach that anchoring elements 28 engages shafts l6 intermediate the ends thereof and spring 32 has its connection rearwardly of the longitudinal axis of shaft l6. The movement of anchoring element 28 about the axis of shaft I6 is limited partly by a stop 36 that engages abutment 38 when the anchoring element is traveling in one direction about shaft I6. This abutment is in the nature of a strip of metal rigidly secured to the lowermost edges of the depending sides of case 8, and one edge of said abutment 38 is always in close proximity to the arcuate end 48 of wall 24 which forms an integral part of anchoring element 28. Arcuate end 48 is concentric with shaft [6 and as said element 28 travels around the center of shaft l6, end 48 is always closeenough to the edge of abutment 38 to insure that abutment 38 will engage arcuate end 48 in the event force is exerted upon anchoring element 28 by the tendency of case 8 to move in one direction so that the sharpened end of anchoring element 28 engages surface 22. Thus a vast amount of force that would otherwise be absorbed by shaft is taken up by abutment 38 and the less rugged parts of the anchoring mechanism are thereby relieved of unnecessary strain.

The means for moving anchoring elements 28 to and from the operative position illustrated in Figs; 2 and 4 is, in the example shown, merely a lever 42 secured to shaft 5 through the medium of one of the anchoring elements 28, so that the lever, anchoring elements and shaft 5 may all be simultaneously moved about the longitudinal axis of said shaft. When anchoring elements 28 are in engagement with the supporting surface 32, lever 42 is secured against movement in one direction by a detent 44 and when the lever is in a position with anchoring elements 28 out of engagement with supporting surface 22, another similar detent 46 is brought into play. Thus lever 42 and all of the anchoring mechanism may be manipulated so as to hold the anchoring elements in or out of the operative position.

An important point of this invention lies in the disposition of lever 42. No tools, cranks or similar instruments are necessary in moving the anchoring elements to the operative or inoperative positions. Furthermore, no part of the anchoring mechanism projects beyond the sides of case 8. A cavity 48, provided in one side of case 8, houses the upper end of lever 42 so that it may be conveniently reached by the operator. There is no probability, therefore, of freight that might be stored with the refrigerator being damaged by contact with projecting parts.

Another form of anchoring element is illus trated in Fig. 6. This particular form exemplifies the manner in which some of the important principals with respect to absorption of force may be built into the anchoring mechanism.

In this particular instance, case 8 carries the shaft l6 as hereinbefore described and the op erating lever 42 may be as mentioned. Anchoring element 58 per se, however, is specially formed to present a surface-engaging foot 52, having an arcuate face 54 that is concentric with the axis of shaft IS. A plurality of spurs 56 are on face 54. A part 58 of element 58 extends to the opposite side of shaft l6 and engages a stop 68 so as to limit the movement of element 58 in one direction about the axis of shaft l6. A spring 62, having one end angled to case 8 and the other joined to part 58, urges surface-engaging foot 52 toward the operative position.

The form of anchoring element 58 is therefore such as to lift case 8 when force is exerted thereagainst in the direction of the arrow. This force is thereby absorbed by the action of gravity which tends to hold case 8 upon surface 22 and a slight amount of rocking may take place to absorb the force when an anchoring element of this type is employed. In soabsorbing the force, surface 22 is not destroyed or marred to asgreat an extent as when anchoring element 28 is employed. If the force tending to move case 8 in the direction of the arrow is greater than might be absorbed by the slight lifting of case .8 by the movement of member 58 about the axis of shaft I6, case 8 will continue to travel in the direction of the arrow until part 58 and stop 68 come into engagement. Thereafter spurs 56 will be forced into surface 22 so as to stop such movement and the action thereafter will be precisely the same as that of element 28. Obviously, the relative positions of stop 68 and part 58 are such as to preclude the movement of foot 52 rearwardly to a point where it no longer may engage surface 22.

Because of the scope of the spirit of this invention, it is known that the same may be embodied in many structures other than those here in described and illustrated and it is desired to be limited only by the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a refrigerator of the character described, a case having a cavity formed in one side thereof; a plurality of rollers on the case for rendering the same mobile; anchoring elements movable to and from a position in engagement with the supporting surface; and operating mechanism for so moving the anchoring elements, said anchoring elements having yieldable means for urging the same against the said supporting surface when the operating mechanism has moved the said elements to the position in engagement with the said supporting surface, said anchoring elements being attached to the operating mechanism by means permitting limited movement of the elements independently of the said operating mechanism.

2. In a refrigerator of the character described, a case having a cavity formed in one side thereof; a plurality of rollers on the case for rendering the same mobile; a shaft mounted for oscillation on the bottom of the case; anchoring elements carried by the shaft for movement to and from a position in engagement with a supporting surface; and a lever for oscillating the shaft projecting upwardly into said cavity, said anchoring elements each having a bearing provided with a slot journalling the shaft, said shaft having a laterally extending pin projecting through said slot whereby to permit limited movement of the anchoring elements independently of the said shaft.

3. In a refrigerator of the character described, a case; a plurality of rollers on the case for rendering the same mobile; a shaft mounted for oscillation on the bottom of the case; a plurality of anchoring elements carried by the shaft for movement to and from a position in engagement with a supporting surface; means for so moving the anchoring elements; yieldable means for maintaining the said elements in engagement with the supporting surface; and an abutment on the case adjacent to the anchoring elements for engagement therewith when force is exerted against the anchoring element in one direction.

4. In a refrigerator of the character described, a case; a plurality of rollers on the case for rendering the same mobile; a shaft mounted for oscillation on the bottom of the case; a plurality of anchoring elements carried by the shaft for movement to and from a position in engagement with a supporting surface; means for so moving the anchoring elements; yieldable means for maintaining the said elements in engagement with the supporting surface; and an abutment on the case adjacent to the anchoring elements for engagement therewith when force is exerted against the anchoring element in one direction, said anchoring elements each having a stop for limiting the movement of said shaft and elements about the axis of said shaft. I

5. In a refrigerator of the character described having a case with wheels thereon for rendering the same mobile, a shaft; bearings journalling said shaft on the bottom of the case; an anchoring element on the shaft extending to each side of the shaft; and an abutment on the case adjacent one end of said element for engagement therewith when force is exerted against the anchoring element in one direction.

6. In a refrigerator of the character described havinga case with wheels thereon for rendering the same mobile, a shaft; bearings journalling said shaft on the bottom of the case; an anchoring element on the shaft extending to each side of the shaft; and an abutment on the case adjacent one end 'of said element for engagement therewith when force is exerted against the anchoring element in one direction, said abutment and anchoring element being formed to maintain a constant degree of proximity throughout the path of movementof the said element,

7. In .a refrigerator of the character described having a case with wheels thereon for rendering the same; mobile, an anchoring element pivotally mounted on the bottom of the case for movement toand from a position in engagement with the surface supporting the refrigerator to preclude appreciable movement in one direction; a surface-engaging foot on the anchoring element having an arcuate face eccentric to the axis'of rotation of said anchoring element whereby when force is exerted upon the case in one direction the same is raised by the V said anchoring element; a spring to yieldably maintain the arcuate face of said element in en-" gagement with the supporting surface; spurs formed on the arcuate face of said foot; and a' stop for limiting the movement of the foot about the axis of the pivotal-mounting of the anchoring element whereby after a relatively small amount of movement in one direction the said element ceases to raise the case and the said spurs engage the supporting surface to preclude skidding or further movement in the aforesaid one direction.

HENRY W. BLAKE. 

